Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method that controls the change of direction of a fusing belt in a printing apparatus.
Presently, image output devices, such as printers, multifunction media devices, xerographic machines, ink jet printers, and other devices produce images on media sheets, such as paper, substrates, transparencies, plastic, cardboard, or other media sheets. To produce an image, marking material, such as toner, ink jet ink, or other marking material, is applied to a media sheet to create a latent image on the media sheet. A fuser assembly then affixes or fuses the latent image to the media sheet by applying heat and/or pressure to the media sheet.
Fuser assemblies apply pressure using rotational members, such as a fuser belt and a pressure roll, that contact each other at a fuser nip. Pressure is applied to the media sheet with the latent image as the media sheet is fed through the fuser nip to affix the latent image to the media sheet.
Unfortunately, repeated contact between the media sheet edges and the fuser belt results in worn areas, also known as edge wear, on the fuser belt. The worn areas eventually manifest as differential gloss bands on resulting prints, especially after fusing many sheets of one sheet width followed by fusing sheets of a larger sheet width. For example, a differential gloss band appears on 14″ wide media sheets after running a large number of 11″ wide media sheets. Fuser run cost is a large part of the overall printer marking engine run cost, and edge wear is a leading cause of fusing failure regardless of print engine type, such as mono or color, or market segment, such as office or production. The edge wear occurs in both inboard and outboard areas on fusing members, where the level of wear in either area can dictate edge wear life.
A registration distribution system can automatically move an entire fusing system back and forth in order to spread the edge wear over a larger area on the fuser member surface, which delays the perception of edge wear on resulting prints. Unfortunately, the movement of the fusing system requires a longer lamp to heat a fuser roll and also causes fuser temperature sensors to move with respect to the media sheets. Also, edge wear can build up on a fusing belt as the system changes direction at the point where the fusing system changes direction. These issues negatively impact fuser axial temperature uniformity as well as ultimate print gloss axial uniformity.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method that controls the change of direction of a fusing belt in a printing apparatus that can overcome the above issues as well as provide other benefits in the printing apparatus.